Friday, December 18, 2009

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - December '09

I almost didn't do a December Bloom Day post because I couldn't fit it in on the 15th, and then yesterday was much the same, but today I resolved to get it done!
Not that there's a lot to show, but I do have a few house plants blooming, and some of the overwintering plants are putting out blooms.



Abutilon Gold Dust is the star, with more than a dozen lovely orange flowers and loads of buds.


Outside on the front porch during the summer it produces sparse blooms, but overwintering in the house it really revs up production! Strange plant. But beautiful, so I happily forgive its idiosyncrasies.


Another orange bloomer is Columnea, sometimes called Goldfish Plant because the flowers resemble little goldfish. That's a pink Bacopa on the shelf below, which sowed itself in a last year's container and grew into a nice healthy little plant. I couldn't bear to throw it away in the fall so I potted it up and brought it inside. Bacopa is a half hardy annual here in the northeast. It'll be interesting to see what it does.


The overwintering wax begonias have a few blooms, but the Thanksgiving/Christmas cacti are both finished blooming, unfortunately. Posted by Picasa


I brought the pot of Anemone de caen into the house too because they were still popping out blooms.....and to my surprise are continuing to do so. I love these glorious blue flowers!


The Babywing begonia was disappointing this past summer after growing into such a beautiful plant last year. Begonias can be baffling. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, they just begin to whither and die off. I managed to save a couple of pieces of this one
and they rooted, so I didn't lose it entirely. Now I need to snip off another cutting, and keep doing that until I can hopefully make the plant fuller again. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep them healthy?



This is last year's Poinsettia!
It's just a small one that I kept on the covered side porch all summer and neglected badly. A few weeks ago I noticed red bracts on it, so I brought it inside and began treating it a little better (like watering it!). There are 2 more sets of bracts turning red now. I don't know if they'll get bigger, but I'm happy just to see them small. I didn't give the poor little plant any special treatment to make it turn (I think it's supposed to have at least 11 hours of darkness - or is it 14? - each day for a certain period of time) so this is a very pleasant surprise. I've named it The Little Poinsettia That Could!


In two of the upstairs bedrooms overwintering geraniums are happily blooming and there are also some under lights in the cellar. Posted by Picasa


Some of the containers are in the cellar as well. There were plants still blooming long into the fall and I didn't want to throw them on the compost heap, so I just left them in the garage and they kept right on blooming with very little light. With the onset of very cold weather we recently moved them to the cellar. This is a purple Osteospermum (African or Cape Daisy) and it's blooming its head off. The warmth of the cellar brought on a whole slew of new buds! I wonder how long it will last.


This is "Copper Purple" Osteo. It has few flowers but is still looking happy.


I usually put the vinca vines into the veggie garden to overwinter, but the ground was too wet with all the rain we had before Thanksgiving, and then the cold set in and I caught that nasty cold bug and couldn't get out there to do the job. This one is in the cellar but will eventually go outside (I hope). That purple spike is a cordyline I'm attempting to overwinter.


Outside in the garden there are no blooms, only ice and snow. Last Saturday, when the temperature warmed enough to loosen the ice in the birdbath, I dumped it out and it made a pretty ice sculpture in the snow with the embedded leaf. Posted by Picasa


The little Rock Garden #2 is wearing a blanket of snow and I need to get the de-icer out for the birdbath so that the birds will have some water available. Posted by Picasa

I hope you'll find the time to visit Carol of May Dreams Gardens to see what else is blooming in other parts of the world.
To those of you in warmer climes: Please soak up some of that warmth and color for those of us in the frozen north!
I hope you're all enjoying the pre-Christmas season and finding at least a little time to relax and remember the reason for the season.

33 comments:

CanadianGardenJoy said...[Reply]

Kerri girl ! What pretty plants you have inside .. you are so lucky to have a space like that for them !
The start off with orange plants was perfect : ) ... it reminded me of Halloween (I know .. how naughty is that to be reminded of Halloween when Christmas is almost here ? LOL) .. I love all of your plants and that Baby Wing is so sweet .. a very apt name for it indeed !
I especially love the ice sculpture. How perfect was the birdbath as a mold for an ice wheel ? !!
Very nice post girl : )
Joy

Gail said...[Reply]

Kerri, Wow on the garden flowers continuing to flower in the garage and basement. They are so sweet...The Anemone de caen is the real surprise. I am lucky to get them to bloom once and then it's only for a brief time in the spring garden. The snow covered harden is still lovely....It's all ready for the holidays. Have a good weekend and keep warm. gail

CONEFLOWER said...[Reply]

How lovely that you can keep so many plants inside to overwinter. They all look happy too. Thanks for sharing all the most welcome color.

Roses and Lilacs said...[Reply]

Your ice sculpture is so pretty:) Love the Gold Dust, both the blooms and the foliage.
Marnei

Tabor said...[Reply]

I agree that having the space you have is most rewarding. I have just about 6 foot along one wall. I also am overwintering a cordyline although I did not know the name. Mine is in its third year and beginning to take over the little area! While hiking last week I saw a blooming vinca vine! What a surprise in the cold weather.

Tabor said...[Reply]

Forgot to add that I love the ice sculpture...I hope it lasts for a while.

Sandra said...[Reply]

Thanks for inviting me to your home! I love the Abutilon Gold Dust it is so unusual...any seeds? lol

Vicki's Bit-o-earth said...[Reply]

What a great post Kerri! Your indoor plants are gorgeous. It reminds me of my Mom's special gift of an indoor green thumb. Sadly, I don't seem to have one. I can make outdoor plants grow like weeds... but indoors is another story. I've got to figure it out, but in the meantime I'll just enjoy yours! (:

joco said...[Reply]

Dear kerri,
Such a lovely mixture, this post. You are an outdoor-indoor-gardener at present, and successful on both fronts.
Abutilon indoors, in winter? Amazing. And your outdoors looks really severe. So much snow already. i want to go make an ice sculpture now. In an Evian bottle, with the top cut of and berries and leaves around the edges ( just saw that on TV). But what am I saying? We have neither ice nor snow. the rest of the country does, but somehow it bypasses our neck of the woods.
I asked you before and forgot your reply: what light does your cellar have for your plants to stay so healthy?
Happy Xmas, and your Christmas Card is HERE

Linda said...[Reply]

I just love looking at all your incredible flowers. The fact that I manage to kill more flowers than I grow is no measure of my love for them! I try over and over again.
It is a delight to share yours.

Merry Christmas!

Unknown said...[Reply]

You have LOTS blooming, Kerri, and those osteos are most astonishing. I had planned to bring a couple in and overwinter them, but those good intentions didn't happen. I hope you and yours have a very Happy Christmas!

Liisa said...[Reply]

After seeing this post I am so looking forward to having my indoor "plant room" up and running, equipped with appropriate lighting.
I just love your Abutilon - such a beautiful orange... and those leaves! Your cordyline is equally beautiful, with those spiky purple leaves. :)

Lisa at Greenbow said...[Reply]

Kerri, sorry I spelled your name incorrectly in my last comment. I always think of my daughter when I read your name becasue I pronounce it the same way I pronounce my daughters name.

I want to add that I know your cordyline will survive this winter and grow like crazy. I kept one last year and it did fine. This second summer it grew huge. It is back in the livingroom this winter and surviving. Cheers.

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Your overwintering plants are all so lively and fresh! I am such a bad gardener. I never manage to overwinter cuttings and such, and the plants I put into the basement are mostly forgotten until they wither away. I did manage to keep a common geranium last year, but nothing else. This year, my mandevilla is still looking okay, so I have my fingers crossed.

Marrissa said...[Reply]

Ahh Kerri your garden makes me feel like Alice in Wonderland, surrounded by giant blossoms :) The picture of the ice from the bird bath is fantastic!!

Debbie said...[Reply]

Beautiful, as always, Kerri! You houseplants are so lovely. I used to have a ton, before so many little ones. I am just starting to collect some again. One day I might have some wonderful winter blooms.

You and your family have a wonderful Christmas!

Midlife Mom said...[Reply]

You sure do have a green thumb all year long!!! The only thing I brought in this year was a pot of miniature..... now I can't think of the name DUH! Oh how I miss my mind!

Here's wishing you a wonderful Christmas Kerri! What is your choir singing this year for Christmas? Do you do a cantata?

The snow storm coming up the coast hasn't hit us yet but I'm wondering if you guys got it. We may get just the tail end of it, 3-4 inches of snow. Glad the roads are good today so everyone can get out to church.

Kathleen said...[Reply]

You have a whole garden in your cellar Kerri! That's fantastic. I hauled a few things downstairs in my basement too but I need to go check on them. I doubt they are blooming quite as spectacularly tho. Great your poinsettia is going to bloom too ~ I think your name for it is very appropriate. I remember you having a lot of blooming houseplants last winter as well. Having blooms indoors definitely helps the winter pass, doesn't it?
Oh, the leaf in the frozen "ice sculpture" is Fabulous!!! Just a beautiful picture. Merry Christmas to you and your family too!

Mountain Mama said...[Reply]

It is such a pleasure to see flowers this time of year. I have nothing blooming outside and only geraniuls inside that I am wintering. They look sickly but at least are still showing some color. It's interesting how when I only have a few things blooming I seem to enjoy them so much more than when the yard is full of color.
I'm already dreaming of all the lovely color in this coming Spring's gardens.
The leafy ice sculpture is just beautiful. Leave it to the Lord to delight you this way.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a blessed Christmas Kerri.

joey said...[Reply]

Always a delight to visit, Kerri! Merry Christmas, dear friend!

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...[Reply]

Wow your plants look so nice and healthy!!! I have never had a poinsettia rebloom! That is really cool to see!!!!! I think I probably leave it out to long and it frosts on it)-: Like I did with my Christmas cactus this year)-: I forgot!!!!! I think some of them will survive though!

F Cameron said...[Reply]

How wonderful to be surrounded by so many indoor blooms in the snowy winter!
Love the ice sculpture.

Happy Holidays!
Cameron

Pam said...[Reply]

For once we have snow to rival yours (though I trust ours won't last long).

Happy Christmas, dear Kerri. I look forward to seeing your garden reawaken in the spring.

The Giraffe Head Tree said...[Reply]

Just stopping by on Christmas Eve to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a delightful New Year. Thank you for a fabulous year of beautiful photography and amazing prose.

Kylee Baumle said...[Reply]

Kerri, your images are wonderful. I like the ice from the birdbath and the poinsettia is amazing!

Wishing you a very merry Christmas and all the best for the coming new year! *hugs*

Naturegirl said...[Reply]

Kerri popping by to wish you a Merry Christmas! May you delight in the season of Joy!
I love the ice sculpture you tossed into the garden..Your plants overwinter quite well..do you use a particular lighting? Hubby has our cacti collection in basement with just a table lamp above them? So far so good.hummm..I wonder if there is a special light.

Marlene Depler said...[Reply]

It has been awhile since I checked blogs. I helpled one of my daughters move into a rental the week before Christmas. Then they found a bank-owned property right away, and moved into it the week before Christmas. Wow! Life has been busy.

As always, I love your photos. I also like the new photo in the heading. I trust you had a wonderful Christmas.

Anonymous said...[Reply]

What beautiful blooms you still have going! I especially love the blue anemone. Looking forward to the time when we have more space and light to have plants come inside. I have a cousin to your babywing begonia though, and cherish it. Happy winter!

Val said...[Reply]

The ice sculpture is amazing. And I wish I had brought my geraniums indoors this year - the cold weather over Christmas and continually freezing has done for them, poor things. And the abutilon that survives the winter against the wall is looking very bedraggled.

Thank you for your blooms!

Barbee' said...[Reply]

Your photo of the birdbath ice and leaf is beautiful with the light coming through it like that. Love the Abutilon!

Reflection Through The Seasons said...[Reply]

Just popped over to wish you and Ross a very Happy New year. We are in Switzerland at the moment. I'm back into blogging in the New Year, so I'll be catching up with more news then. Fondest Love - Marion

Lavender and Vanilla Friends of the Gardens said...[Reply]

Dear Kerri, you must not only have green thumbs, no, you have rainbow fingers, to be able to grow all the flowers inside in winter as well.
The sculpture with the leaf is enchanting. Your rockgarden is still resting under a blanket of snow, but in a few month it will be a riot of colours.
I wish you and your family a very happy, fulfilling year. xo T.

Annie in Austin said...[Reply]

Carol has been tweeting about the January bloom day coming in a couple of days - and here I am finally arriving to see your glorious December array, Kerri.

That anemone is a superstar plant! What fun to see it blooming blue in winter.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose